MEDINA LAKE, Texas – Medina Lake is making headlines again thanks to a viral TikTok that shows the drastic differences in lake levels over the past several years.
TikTok user Joelstocks posted a video to the social media platform on Feb. 7 showing a view from his lake-house property on the shores of Medina Lake in 2019 vs. 2023.
Joelstocks is Joel Panchèvre, owner of the Thirsty Aztec bar on the River Walk.
“Remember when life was good in 2019 and I bought this lakehouse property,” the TikTok reads as Joel pans the camera to show a full, bountiful lake.
The video then cuts to a desolate view of a dried-up lake bed with no water at all.
“Hopefully it rains in 2023,” the TikTok video says.
The lake is actually a reservoir that was created as a result of the construction of the Medina Dam in 1913. The reservoir was created to help local farmers with irrigation for their crops.
Medina Lake is known to have higher fluctuations in water levels compared to other reservoirs and lakes.
“That’s due to the fact that its main purpose is for irrigation and because its watershed is rather small. During dry stretches, you’ll see significant drops. But, as we’ve learned over history, all it takes is one well-placed rain event and it’ll fill back up,” said KSAT Meteorologist Justin Horne.
Water data shows Medina Lake is currently less than 6% full as of Monday, Feb. 13.